Today, LSSA members, represent 87% of law firms who undertake Legal Aid work in England and Wales. In the past, however, we were often the last people to be told of legislative changes that were affecting the sector, putting us under tremendous pressure to develop systems that would conform to new guidelines. Eventually, a series of impossible deadlines prompted the decision to build better relationships with the Legal Services Commission.

With this in mind, I was appointed Chair of the LSSA Legal Aid sub committee and last August visited the LSC in Bristol to discuss the idea of our members becoming part of the consultation process, rather than an afterthought.

The response from Jo Beddows, e-Business Marketing Manager, was both positive and refreshing and led to the LSC accepting an invitation to address an LSSA meeting last October. Jo was joined on the day by Karl Demian, Director of Organisational Transformation, and Gerard Newnham, Business Change Manager, as they presented their vision of the changes the LSC and Legal Aid would be facing in the coming years.  A lively discussion followed as our members expressed concerns about how this would affect us and our clients. But what started off a little heated did evolve into a willingness on both sides to work together for future consultation and development.

LSSA formally responded to “Legal Aid: a sustainable future” consultation last November and since then the LSC has set up an IT working committee on which LSSA is represented. This committee last met on the 15th May to plan for October’s changes.
 
With further consultation ongoing, the current provisional timetable for change is as follows:

October 2007

January 2008

April 2008

October 2008

April 2009

Prepared by
Hilary Fisher
Director
The Quill Group
Quill Pinpoint Accounting Ltd